Improvement ijm opera-chairs



w. A". sLAYwmksi.`l

Opera Chairs. Y

Patented June 9,1-874.

ivm-151,926.

y 1252165505 M7 am f77/vena' l r l UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM A. SLAYMAKER, OF LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY.

IMPROVEMENT |,N OPERA-CHAIRS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 151,926, dated June 9,1874; application filed April 9, 1874.

To all whom lt may concern:

Beit known that I, WILLIAM A. SLAYMA- KER, of Louisville, in the countyof Jefferson and State of Kentucky, have`invented a new and useful Seatfor Opera Houses and other public buildings; and I do hereby declarethat the following is a full and exact description of the same,reference being had to the accompanying drawings and to the letters ofreference marked thereon.

This invention has for its object the production of a seat for publicbuildings which shall be adapted, when not in use, to shut automatically into a compact form, occupying less space than the seat now inuse, and yet be simple and inexpen sive in its construction and pleasingin appearance; and consists, mainly, in adapting the back of the seat,by means of a hingejoint, uniting its lower edge to the rear edge of the'seat portion, and pivoted arms uniting` its upper portion to the sideframes, to swing downward and inward, when free to move, and turn theseat portion upon its pivot into a vertical position, and rest, whenclosed, in a line parallel with that of the upturned seat, the two beingfolded together like the leaves of a book.

In the drawings, Figure l represents a perspective view of my improvedseat; Fig. 2, a side elevation of the seat detached, in an openposition; Fig. 3, a similar view of the same closed, and Fig. 4 apartial front elevation.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I willnow proceed to fully describe its construction and manner of operation.

A A represent the side frames, constructed of any proper material andsize, but preferably made as narrow as possible, for the purpose ofeconomizing floor-space. Their lower edges are properly united to thefloor by suitable fastenings, and their upper edges are adapted, bytheir conformation, to furnish proper supports for t-he arms of thesitter. B represents the seat portion proper, 'construoted of suitablematerial and size, and properly pivoted, in rear of its center, to sideframes in the usual well-known manner. b

represents a suitable stop, by means of which the seat is held in placewhen in use. C represents the back portion, constructed of propermaterial and corresponding in its length, between the side frames, withthe seat portion, as shown. It may also correspond in height with thebreadth of the seat portion, so that, when the seat is closed, the upperedges of the two parts will coincide, like the covers of a book. Thelower edge of this portion is united to the rear edge of the Vseat bymeans of a hinge-joint, as shown, and the upper part is secured to theside frames by means of the pivoted arms c c, as shown. The pivota-rms cc are made to correspond in length vwith the distance between the pivotof the joint and the pivot-joints of the arms upon the back ot the seat.These lines, howeyer, are not vertical, but are inclined upward to therear sufficiently far to furnish the proper angle to make the seatcomfortable.

From this description, it will be understood that, when the seat is freeto move, it must swing in parallel lines, as the parts by which it isunited to the side frames above and below are of equal length land passthrough equal arcs.

By means of this construction, it will be observed that the seat isautomatically closed when the occupant leaves it, and the back swingsinward and rests in a line parallel with the upturned seat, the twobeing folded together, between the side frames, into a compact form, thespace occupied being only that of the combined thickness of the back andseat.

The seat, in its construction, is simple and inexpensive, and pleasingin appearance, the moving parts being hidden between the side frameswhen it is Ilot in use.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent7 is 1. In combination with the seatportion B, pivoted between the side frames A A, and

arranged substantial!)v as described, for tlie purpose set-fortl1.

This specification signed and witnessed this 19th day of March, 1874.

W. A. SLAYMAKER.

lVitnessesz BENNETT H. YOUNG, CHAs. GoDsi-IAW.

